Research Focus
My research interests are understanding the dynamics of local communities, hyperlocal groups, and information inequality. For my research program, I develop and leverage social theories and computational methods. I also design and implement systems that demonstrate the geographically-embedded structures of information and associated issues.
Current Projects
■ Making Information Deserts Visible: Computational Models, Disparities in Civic Technology Use, and Urban Decision Making (NSF CHS #1816763): This project aims to analyze Boston’s 311 data to identify biases embedded in the civic data by making use of a theory of local information landscapes. a tool for visualizing the information deserts of civic issues will be developed for helping with informed decision-making and civic technology design.
■ Library Knowledge Extensions (KNEXT): Data Analytics to Support Innovation Communities (IMLS #LG-71-17-0124-17): This project aims to understand how local businesses navigate through complex information landscapes for their success and how local information institutions (e.g., libraries) can help improve their information access. A web-based tool that connects information users and providers will be developed.
■ Understanding Urban Mobility During COVID-19: This research is a collaborative project with BigDyL Lab at Yonsei University’s Department of Artificial Intelligence, GMU’s Community Informatics Lab, and a start-up in South Korea to analyze high-resolution sensory data captured by hundreds of taxis deployed in South Korea’s metropolitan cities. Using this data, the team is working to understand urban mobility during COVID-19.
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